Yeah, there are features that upgrade people from one group to another and give them more free hands once they've posted a certain number of messages.... But my experience with forums that use those kind of systems is that it encourages people to post a lot of really unnecessary short messages which can end up being almost as irritating as "real" spam.

“Men it is who think they can rule others' lives but have no bonds to them. Do you think that to bond or not to bond is for you alone to decide?”

Perhaps setting it to say, 2-3 posts? That should catch spambots and leave everyone else pretty much alone.
Only two groups. one for people with 0-2(or three) posts that require approval, another for users just like how it is now, with no new limits.

Note:
when 'thul write in all italics, it is the lord of the three realms within 'thul speaking. A fairly egoistical, but also somewhat simple-minded dragon. Do not take such posts at face value.

__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯
"Its for charity. Widows and orphans. We need more of them."
__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯

Well, jonmark14 just became the thirty-sixth user I have banned since taking on mod duties so thanks for the reports 'thul and joost. Funny to read the posts and discover that they were simply bastardised versions of my own and others' posts!!!

Those spammers are clever and always seem to know when I'm either having internet/computer problems or am in the car driving across the country!

*heads off to check to see if spambots have placed hidden cameras within the homestead somewhere...*

"I am the Catalyst, and I came to change all things. Prophets become warriors, dragons hunt as wolves."

Hint: check the ceilings. Reports state that the ceiling cat has been working for the spambots...

Note:
when 'thul write in all italics, it is the lord of the three realms within 'thul speaking. A fairly egoistical, but also somewhat simple-minded dragon. Do not take such posts at face value.

__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯
"Its for charity. Widows and orphans. We need more of them."
__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯

“Words are pale shadows of forgotten names. As names have power, words have power. Words can light fires in the minds of men. Words can wring tears from the hardest hearts.” ~Patrick Rothfuss in The Name of the Wind

Note:
when 'thul write in all italics, it is the lord of the three realms within 'thul speaking. A fairly egoistical, but also somewhat simple-minded dragon. Do not take such posts at face value.

__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯
"Its for charity. Widows and orphans. We need more of them."
__..)/..____________..\/..____________..\(..__
¯¯””/(””¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯''(''/\'')''¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯””)\””¯¯